Battery terminal



Jan 6, 1931. c. E. HOOVER BATTERY TERMINAL Filed Oct. 4, 1927 INVENTOR Charlesl. Hoover ATTORNEY H v Mr .1, r l A li 6 7 F/ g f F .7 4.10 C .1 w

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES CHARLES E. HOOVER, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA BATTERY TERMINAL Application filed October 4, 1927. Serial No. 223,917.

My invention relates to the art of electrical connectors and particularly it has for its object to provide a terminal connector for effecting electrical connection between a conductor cable and the terminal post of a stor age battery or the like.

Another object is to provide a cable terminal connector with provisions whereby it will be enabled to grip the battery post regardless of slight variations in size and without the use of shims.

Further, the invention has for its object to provide a connector which will automatically adjust itself to straight or tapered battery posts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated which may be secured to the battery post by the use of a simple wrench, no tool being necessary to hold the fastening bolt from turning While tightening the nut.

Still further the invention has for an object to provide a connector which may be quickly released when desired by simply backing off the clamping bolts nut, thus permittin the operator readily to pick the connector 0% the post with his fingers instead of the customary way of using battery tongs, chisel bars, screw drivers, and other similar tools which frequently result in damage to the battery posts, battery plates, top covers, and cells, etc.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a connector with convenient means by which it may be secured to the conductor cable with or without the use of solder as desired and also to provide a terminal with a two-part clamp head secured by inter-engaging lugs and a single clamping bolt with an offset-head that engages a fixed part of the clamp to hold the bolt against turning when the nut is being manipulated.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention in use.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 2, the cable being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the connector per se.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the connector looking in the direction from left to right in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a face view of the fixed jaw.

. Figure 8 is a face view of the separable In the drawing in which like numerals of reference designate like parts in all of the figures, 1 represents the sleeve to receive the cable 21 and 2 indicates the fixed clamp jaw which, together with the sleeve 1, constitutes an L-shaped member. The fixed jaw 2 has a battery post engaging surface 3 that opposes a similar surface 18 on the separable jaw 15.

The jaw 2 is provided with a pair of lugs or heels 4 separated to form a recess or channel 5 to receive the pivot lug 16 of the jaw 15. thereby effecting an inter-engaging of the jaws 2 and 15 at this place. 7 7

The jaw 2 is bored approximately mid-way its ends as at 6 to permit passage of the clamping bolt 12, the head 13 of which, is off-set and adapted to lie against the back face of the wall 7 of the sleeve 1.

The separable jaw 15 is also bored approximately mid-way its ends as at 7 to permit passage of the bolt 12, and in order to permit a slight freedom of the movement of the jaw 15 so that it may adapt itself to variations in the shape of the terminal post 19 of the battery 20, the aperture 17 is preferably somewhat larger in diameter than the aperture 6.

8 designates a bendable lip constituting a part of the sleeve 1 and this lip 8 is adapted to be bent at 9 around the cable end to grip the same tightly, and in order to prevent slippage the wall 7 is provided with ribs 11 which extend partly across the top of the sleeve, see Figures 5 and 6. WVhen the bendable lip 8 is hammered or bent over the cable into tight engagement with the same the ribs 11 will bite into the cable and hold it against pulling out.

10 is a socket in the jaw v2 into which the end of the cable may be directed. The sleeve 1 is cut-away as at 22 so that if it is found desirable to do so solder may be applied to the cable wires and act as a stop lug. However it is seldom necessary to use solder if the lip 8 is properly bent around the cable.

In using my invention when it is desired to attach the cable to the battery terminal post the operator merely turns back on the nut 1-1 sufficiently to enable the jaws'to be slipped over the post and then tightens up on the nut 14 until effective gripping action is obtained. Since the head 13 of the bolt lies tight against the flat surface 7 it will not turn when the nut 14 is manipulated in either direction and since the jaw 15 has a rocking motion both laterally and in a longitudinal direction the surfaces 3 and 18 can accommodate themselves to the taper of the post 19 if that post he one of the tapered type.

In order to remove the connector from the battery terminal post all that is necessary is to turn back the nut 14, until the jaw 15 has been sufficiently released to enable the connector to be slipped off. Should corrosion have occurred and the jaws be frozen to the post 19, the nut 14 can be readily removed, the bolt 12 Withdrawn and by simply pulling on the cable 21 the jaws can be disconnected from the post 19.

Furthermore, by locating the plane of the jaws substantially at right angles to the sleeve 1 (and consequently the axis of the cable 21), it is obvious that the connection with the post 19 can be made regardless of the relative position of the cable and battery, and this can be done without the necessity of bending elbows in the cable itself, thus avoiding possible breakage of the cable especlally where there may be vibration when the battery 1s used on an automobile in transit.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought the complete construct on, operation and advantages of my invention Wlll be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A battery cable connector comprising a member having a fixed jaw and a U-shaped portion with one leg of the U longer than the other leg to constitute a bendable lip to receive and grip a cable end, said sleeve U- shaped portion having internal ribs extending in directions transversely to the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped portion and functioning to bite into the cable and hold it against slippage; a second member comprising a removable jaw, said jaws at one end having battery post gripping surfaces and at the other end male and female loosely engaging means, said jaws intermediate their ends each having a bolt hole; a third member comprising a bolt and nut, the bolt passing through said holes and cooperating with said jaws for the purposes specified.

2. A battery terminal member comprising two cooperating clamp elements, separate one from another with inter-engaging elements at one end and opposing clamping faces at the other end, said jaws having bolt holes approximately mid-way between their ends, a clamp bolt with nut passed through said holes and connecting said clamp elements, said engaging elements constituting a point of loose contact whereby one of said clamp elements may have a rocking n1ove mentlaterally and longitudinally with respect to the other clamp element thereby to adapt the clamp elements to effect automatically a self-adjustment to a battery terminal post regardless of whether the same be straight or tapered, substantially as specified.

3. A battery connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto, a separable jaw associated with said fixed jaw, said jaws having opposing battery-post gripping faces at the ends remote from said sleeve, said jaws having inter-engaging members conjointly forming a loose connection adjacent their other ends whereby said separable jaw may have sliding movement in the direction of its length and also have a rocking movement laterally and longitudinally with respect to the clamp jaw, and a bolt and nut device passing through the apertures in said jaws, which apertures are located between the respective ends of said jaws, substantially as shown and described.

4. A battery connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto, a. separable jaw associated with said fixed jaw. said jaws having opposing battery post gripping faces at the ends remote from said sleeve, a bolt and nut device passing through apertures in said jaws, which apertures are located between the respective ends of said j aws, one of said jaws having a groove, the other of said jaws having a projection loosely rockably fitting into said groove, said groove and said projection lying at the ends of said jaws opposite to the ends having the gripping faces, substantially as shown and described.

5. A battery connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto and extending angularly with respect to the sleeve, a separable jaw associated with said fixed jaw, said jaws having opposed battery post gripping faces at the ends remote from the sleeve and having loose tongue and groove engagement at the ends adjacent the sleeve whereby said separable jaw may have sliding movement in the direction of its length and also have a rocking movement laterally and longitudinally with respect to the clamp jaw, and a bolt and nut device passlng through apertures in said jaws, which apertures are located between the respective ends of said jaws substantially as shown and described.

6. A battery connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto and extending angularly with respect to the sleeve, a separable jaw associated with said fixed jaw, said jaws having opposed battery post gripping faces at the ends remote from the sleeve and having loose tongue and groove engagement at the ends adjacent the sleeve whereby said separable jaw may have sliding movement in the direction of its length and also have a rocking movement laterally and longitudinally with respect to the clamp jaw, a bolt and nut device passing through apertures in said jaws, which apertures are located between the respective ends of said jaws, said tongue and groove engagement comprising a ton ue of V-shape cross-section on one-of said aws, said other jaw having a recess of V-shape cross-section to receive said tongue, the direction of said groove and tongue being in the direction of the length of the jaws normal to the axis of the battery post gripping faces.

7. A battery cable connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto, a separable jaw associated with said fixed jaw, said jaws having opposing battery-post gripping faces, said jaws having inter-engaging bearing means at the end remote from the gripping faces, and a bolt and nut passing through apertures in said jaws at a place for securing the same together, said apertures being located at a lace between the location of said gripping aces and said inter-engaging means and being adapted to permit said bolt to pass loosely therethrough, said inter-engaging bearing means comprising a male and female bearing having a rocking and sliding adjustable'movement whereby said separable jaw may slide longitudinally on said fixed jaw and may rock laterally and longitudinally to accommodate itself to battery posts of varying diameters and shapes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. A battery cable connector comprising a sleeve for attachment to the end of a cable, a clamp jaw fixed thereto, a separable jaw asso 'ciated with said fixed jaw, said jaws having opposing battery-post gripping faces, said jaws having inter-engaging bearing means at from the gripping faces, and

said jaws at a p ace for securing the same together, said apertures being adapted to permit said bolt to pass loosely therethrough, said inter-engaging bearing means comprising a male and female bearing having a rocklongitudinally to accommodate itself to batv tery posts of varying diameters andshapes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

CHARLES E. HOOVER. 

